Spaghetti Carbonara

This is probably one of my all time favourite dishes. The problem is though whenever I buy this at a restaurant, it’s always made so heavy that I don’t feel too good by the end of the meal. Oh and the amount of excess oils! Eeek! How happy was I to find a more simpler, less heavy version of my favourite meal.

Prep & Cooking Time – 30 minutes | Serves – 4

INGREDIENTS

– 3 bacon rashers

– 1 broccoli bunch

– 1 small onion

– 100g sliced button mushrooms

– 200mL thickened cream

– 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

– 1 tablespoon minced garlic

– 1 packet dry spaghetti

– 1 tablespoon plain flour

– 3 second spray of olive oil

– salt and pepper for seasoning

METHOD

Step 1. Make spaghetti as per packet instructions. When cooked, drain and set aside.

Step 3. Heat up saucepan to medium heat and spray with olive oil. Add onion and garlic. When it starts to sizzle, add your bacon and mix together.

Step 4. Add your mushrooms and stir in. Keep on heat until the mushrooms are semi-cooked.

Step 5. Add thickened cream, parmesan cheese and flour to the saucepan. Stir to mix all the ingredients in the pan. You may want to add salt and pepper to season at this stage.

Step 6. Add the broccoli florets into the saucepan. Mix through and then cover with the lid. Depending on how soft you like your broccoli will determine how long you need to keep the lid on. I like mine soft so I leave the lid on for no more than 10 minutes on medium heat.

Step 7. When the broccoli is cooked to your liking, serve with boiled pasta.

NOTES AND VARIATIONS

The fantastic thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile. While not as greasy as the restaurants, the ingredients I have listed here makes for a ‘heavy’ meal. If you are one to count kilojoules, it is so easy to modify the ingredients. Swap the bacon for pancetta or a leaner cut of bacon (you might have to add a touch more oil just to grease up the pan). You can use gluten free pasta as well as substituting thickened cream with light evaporated milk and skim milk to replace the half cup of milk.